Weightlifting at the Olympics

Weigthlifting has been at the Olympic Games in all years except 1900, 1908 and 1912. In the current competition format, each athlete has three attempts for each movement. The best performances in each lift are combined to determine the winners.

Trivia

In Paris 1896, the events were the
one hand lift and the two hand lift.

In
1904 the events were
Two hand lift and
All-around dumbbell.

In the early Games, all lifters competed in the same events, regardless of their individual body weights. From 1920 onwards, weight classes were set up. These classes have changed over time. Currently the men have 8 and the women 6 different weight classes.

The 2000 Olympics was the first time that women were allowed to compete at the Olympics in weightlifting.